


every second with you (i want another)

by thespacenico



Series: klancemas 2018 [16]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: :)))), Confession, Dancing, Fluff, Gratuitous Hand-Holding, M/M, allura and hunk think they're sneaky, i really hope you guys like this one, mayhaps... it's official?, mega fluff, much softness occurs, some possible actual communication, the team goes to a party, very soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-27 11:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17161364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thespacenico/pseuds/thespacenico
Summary: klancemas day sixteen: dance/party





	every second with you (i want another)

**Author's Note:**

> me, looking at the prompt and deciding how i'm gonna do this: hmmm do they dance or go to a party  
> also me: obviously both
> 
> (sorry for typos i didn't have the time to really look through it)  
> (i swear that these weird random typos appear when i transfer over to ao3 lol)  
> (sorry this one took longer for me to put up! it was very slow going but i wanted to make this one special and it's also a bit longer than usual hehe)
> 
> i've been listening to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu4Fkyv7TA8) nonstop for like a week because of the major klance feels it gives me and it honestly is perfect for this series so i suggest listening to it while reading if you want!!!! (title comes from some of the lyrics)

**meme dream team  
**December 16th, 2:03 PM

 **lancey lance:** alright everyone  
it’s time to revive the meme dream team

 **Adam W** has changed **meme dream team** to **takashi + space children**

 **lancey lance:** hsdjkfkls  
um????????

 **Keith K:** why does the name revolve around shiro  
he barely even texts to begin with

 **T. Shirogane:** if you wanted me to text you more all you had to do was ask <3

 **Keith K:** nope  
forget i asked

 **T. Shirogane:** :’-(

 **Adam W:** keith be nice to my boyfriend

 **Hunk:** oooo family drama

 **Princess:** i can never tell if i should take any of this seriously or not

 **pidge:** as a general rule  
you should not

 **lancey lance:** pidge speaks the truth

 **Adam W:** well since everyone is here, now is a great time to mention  
there’s a party being held at the town mansion for the holidays tonight

 **Hunk:** wait the super huge gigantic house we passed on the way to the store?

 **Adam W:** that’s the one

 **lancey lance:** PAAAARTYYYYYYY

 **Keith K:** oh god

 **lancey lance:** well we’re going right????

 **T. Shirogane:** only if you all want to

 **Princess:** i think a party sounds lovely

 **pidge:** allura i love you a lot but you’ve never been to an earth party

 **lancey lance:** oh come on pidge you don’t want to go??

 **pidge:** i never said that

 **Adam W:** not that kind of party, you hooligans

 **Keith K:** hooligans. that’s really the word you went for

 **T. Shirogane:** keith be nice to my boyfriend

 **Keith K:** uuugh

 **Adam W:** anyway it’s very casual  
just lots of food and music  
and there’s always dancing in the ballroom

 **Hunk:** it sounds fun!!!

 **lancey lance:** party party party party can we pls go

 **T. Shirogane:** well it sounds like the only one who hasn’t said yes just yet is keith  
…  
keith

 **Adam W:** he’s ghosted us

 **Keith K:** i don’t think you understand what that is

 **pidge:** keith c’mon it’ll be fun!!!

 **Hunk:** think of all the food keith

 **Princess:** and you’ll be with all of us!

 **lancey lance:** KEITH PLS IT WILL BE SO FUN

 **Keith K:** oh my god FIIINE

 **Adam W:** we leave at 6

 **lancey lance:** NICE  
TAKASHI + THE SPACE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO A PARTY

 **Keith K:** ugh

 

It’s T-1 hour to the party when Hunk walks into the kitchen where Keith is making coffee. He pauses next to the island and watches in concern as Keith dumps an unhealthy amount of creamer into his mug.

“Jeez Keith, who raised you?”

“Shiro and Adam,” Keith says without looking up.

Hunk shrugs, apparently satisfied. “Hm. Are you excited for the party tonight?”

Keith sighs and stirs his coffee as Hunk sits on one of the stools underneath the counter beside him. “Excited as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fun!” Hunk says excitedly. “Trust me. You’ve never been to a party with the Garrison Trio.”

“Garrison Trio?” Keith repeats, raising an eyebrow and turning his head to look at him.

“Yeah man.” Hunk nods. “Me, Pidge, and Lance. We have redefined fun. We got in trouble all the time way back when.”

Keith huffs. “You mean Lance got in trouble.”

“Lance was the cause of most of the troublemaking, yes,” Hunk admits. “My point is that you’ll have fun.” Keith shrugs, and Hunk scratches his neck as he takes a sip of coffee. “Speaking of Lance, it seems like things are back to normal between you guys.”

Keith tries not to choke on his coffee and manages to cough only once as he lowers his mug.  “Yeah, uh—I guess.”

 _Normal_ seems like an understatement. Or would it be an overstatement? Either way. He and Lance still haven’t really talked about what’s going on, which has been both a huge relief and an enormous stressor on Keith’s side—he doesn’t necessarily have to worry yet about talking about his _feelings,_ but he also doesn’t really know what Lance wants, and that makes Keith kind of nervous because he’s terrified of messing it up.

Hunk raises his hands placatingly. “Sorry, weird subject. It’s just that you seemed pretty upset about it the other day.”

“I wasn’t—” Keith starts to argue, and then he thinks better of it when Hunk squints at him, and he lets out a breath. “Whatever. Anyway, it’s fine now, so can we—not talk about this?”

“No, yeah dude, cool, I’ll drop it,” Hunk agrees, and then immediately changes the subject, because he’s Hunk and Hunk is an angel. “Is that what you’re wearing tonight?”

Keith looks down at the sweatshirt he’s wearing (also stolen from Shiro, because his nose is still kind of stuffy and it’s comfy). “I mean, I guess I’ll change into something a little nicer.”

Hunk fidgets on his stool a little. “Might I suggest that dark navy blue sweater that you wore like the first week we were here?”

Keith looks at him. He fidgets again. “Why?” Keith asks slowly.

“No reason,” Hunk insists, a bit too quickly. Keith fully turns to face him and Hunk shrinks away. “Keith, don’t do this to me. You know I’m not good under pressure!”

“Hunk, what are you doing?”

Hunk makes a noise of despair and caves. “Look, all I’m saying is, Lance might have let it slip once or twice that day that he thought it looked really good on you.”

Keith feels his cheeks go hot and maybe he splutters a little. “What?”

“I didn’t know how to tell you that without it being weird!” Hunk cries. “Now it’s weird!”

“But why does that—matter?” Keith stammers. “Why—Hunk—”

“You know he’s gonna ask you to dance, right?”

Keith jerks off his stool and nearly spills his coffee in the process. _“What?”_

“Don’t panic!” Hunk holds his hands to the sides of his face. “Keith if you panic then I’m gonna panic—”

“Hunk!” Keith pulls back a step, his eyes flicking toward the living room to make sure there’s no one else there to listen. “I don’t—dance,” he hisses.

“Not like some kind of fancy musical number,” Hunk tries to assure him. “Just like—you know, dancing! Just a dance! It’ll be fine!”

Keith shakes his head. “Nonono. _No._ No way, there’s no way—”

Hunk leaps to his feet and Keith squawks a little when he slaps his hands on his shoulders. “Listen here, Keith. You’re gonna go put on that sweater, you’re gonna go to this party, you’re gonna dance with Lance and you’re gonna have a good time. Got it?”

“I—well—”

“Now go!” Hunk steps behind Keith and gives him a little push, and Keith—goes.

“How did that work,” he mutters to himself as he plods up the stairs.

Lance’s door is shut when he gets upstairs, so he slips into his room as quietly as he can and pushes the door closed. He pushes a hand through his hair and holds it there, letting out a long breath.

“Just a dance,” he repeats to himself. “Just a dance. Just—sweater. Okay, sweater.” He dashes to his dresser and starts digging through the drawers.

 _This is so dumb,_ he groans inwardly. _This is so dumb, this is so_ dumb—

He finds the one he’s looking for buried at the bottom of one of the drawers and tugs it out, then tosses it onto his bed. “Okay,” he breathes out. “Fine. Good.” He pauses. “I didn’t even get to drink my coffee.”

There’s a knock on his door, and he jumps. Shiro pokes his head into the room. “He didn’t tell me why, but Hunk says he thinks you’re panicking.”

“Why does everyone always assume I’m panicking?” Keith cries.

Shiro leaves.

“Maybe I’m panicking,” Keith mutters. He changes into the sweater and checks his reflection in the mirror. “I look fine,” he says aloud, and then ducks away from the mirror before he can think too much about it.

He does think it’s very much intentional that he ends up in the backseat of the car on the way to the party with Allura instead of Lance. Which is probably for the best, because Keith doesn’t think he would’ve been able to keep himself from trying to hold his hand again. Especially not when he came out of his room when it was time to go with that bright, excited smile on his face and a champagne-colored sweater that would look totally boring on anyone else but on Lance makes his eyes look like they’re some incredible, undiscovered shade of blue.

But for now, Keith has to sit in the back of the car and suffer through listening to Shiro and Lance belt out the _High School Musical_ soundtrack and try not to look as hopelessly endeared as he feels.

“Are you excited?” Allura asks, in the middle of _What I’ve Been Looking For._

Keith huffs. “For the party?” She nods, and he makes a face. “I’m pretty sure you know by now that I’m not much of a people-person, princess.”

She smiles. “Maybe not, but you make an exception for us, don’t you?”

“Only for you guys,” Keith sighs, and her smile grows.

“I’m excited for the Earth music,” she says, tugging at a loose strand of hair that’s fallen loose from her braid. “I’ve only heard what Pidge and Lance have played for me.” Shiro and Lance launch into the final chorus of the song, and she laughs. “And this.”

“I’m sure you’ll like it,” Keith assures her, smiling a tiny bit as Lance starts using the end of Hunk’s arm like a microphone.

He quickly looks away, but Allura’s already caught him, and he flushes as she smiles knowingly. “Are you nervous about tonight?”

“What is there to be nervous about,” Keith grumbles, folding his arms over his chest and slumping a little.

“I’m sure the food will be lovely,” Allura continues innocently.

Keith kicks at something rolling around on the floor.

She drums her fingers on the seat between them. “Not to mention the dancing.”

Keith sighs again. Of course Allura knows. “Hunk already told me, Allura.”

Her eyes light up. “Oh, good! So you’ll be prepared.”

“Prepared for what?” Keith protests.

“I just mean this way you won’t be caught unaware,” she explains patiently. Keith rubs a hand down his face and she laughs a little. “You’ll be fine, Keith. I’ve seen you at enough coalition rallies to know that you have _some_ dancing abilities.”

“Not because I want to.”

She laughs again and pats his arm. “Just be yourself, Keith.”

And Keith kind of hates that particular piece of advice, but it somehow sounds perfectly genuine coming from Allura.

The mansion sits just on the edge of town, out of the way enough that it still has plenty of private land and property, but close enough that anyone living there can make quick trips there and back without any trouble. From all the tire tracks in the snow leading up to the gates, it’s obvious that it’s going to be packed. Which is understandable; the entire place is covered from top to bottom with an incredible ensemble of Christmas lights, illuminating the snow and decorating every window and balcony. Keith doesn’t want to think about who had to put them all up.

Adam doesn’t really want to, but they end up having to valet so they don’t end up having to walk fifteen minutes through the freezing cold. Lance falls into step beside Keith as they’re walking to the front doors behind another group of people and bumps his shoulder. “Are you excited?”

 _About the fact that you’re supposedly going to ask me to dance?_ Keith thinks. _Or just the party in general?_

“Everyone keeps asking me that,” he says eventually.

“I wonder if it’s just gonna be us and a bunch of rich old people,” Lance muses, smiling when Keith snorts.

“If that’s the case, we’ll be fine,” Keith glances ahead at where Shiro and Adam are walking. “Old ladies love Shiro.”

“Everyone loves Shiro.”

“It’s a curse.”

Lance gasps. “It’s a _blessing.”_ Keith makes a face and Lance shakes his head. “I just hope there’s some good food. Not just veggie trays and packages of those powdered sugar cookie things.”

Keith raises an eyebrow. “I would think you love those things.”

“That was until I ate a whole pack of them by myself in one night during finals at the Garrison,” Lance sighs, and Keith laughs. “I have learned from my mistake.”

“Just means more for me then,” Keith shrugs, and smiles to himself when Lance makes a surprised sort of noise.

Lance had almost managed to make him forget what he was so worried about until they actually get inside the mansion. But the second that he sees how crowded the front parlor is, he immediately feels out of place.

There are people (and not just old rich people) _everywhere._ There’s a group of teenagers talking happily amongst themselves as the climb one side of the double staircase, people walking around every which way as they go about, and plenty of older adults scattered around the room and chatting while Michael Buble’s Christmas album plays in the background. Adam was right when he said this was going to be casual, because in the crowd are some of the ugliest Christmas sweaters that Keith has ever seen. He suddenly remembers why he didn’t really want to come in the first place.

Someone politely directs them into a room where they can leave their coats; they leave theirs in a big pile in the corner so they can’t get mixed up with anyone else’s. Adam and Shiro decide that they want to look around, so they tell the rest of the group to text them when they find the food so they can meet up later.

Shiro pats his shoulder before they leave and offers a small, encouraging smile. “Try to have fun, okay?”

“I’ll try,” Keith mumbles, and then Shiro smiles again and Adam ruffles his hair.

“Don’t get into too much trouble.”

Lance tosses his arm over Keith’s shoulder (nope, still not used to it) and shoots Adam a crooked grin. “I think we should be telling you guys that.”

He snickers when Adam just goes on to ruffle his hair too, which is unfair because it somehow still manages to be a good look on him.

Pidge and Hunk announce that they’re going to find the food, so they take off after a man in a suit carrying a platter of what looks like super fancy deviled eggs. Allura asks something about the music, and then Lance commences to explain to her the legend and conspiracy that is Michael Buble.

(“They freeze him during the year and then thaw him out for Christmas.”

“Wait, really?”

“No. He looks good, though.”)

Keith isn’t really paying attention. The amount of people in the room is already making him feel like he’s shrinking into himself.

It’s not that he doesn’t like parties, necessarily. He just doesn’t like the idea of standing around and making small talk with people, especially when he’s never been good at small talk in the first place. Not to mention how sometimes the music gets too loud, the rooms get too crowded, he doesn’t really have any interest in most of the party games and activities because he would typically rather be by himself anyway—okay, so maybe he doesn’t like parties.

Keith watches a couple of younger kids darting around their moms’ legs and tries not to look like he doesn’t want to be here. And then he jumps when Lance touches his shoulder.

“Hello? Earth to Keith?”

He blinks when he realizes that both Lance and Allura are looking at him. “Sorry.”

Allura shoots him a sort of sympathetic smile as Lance pulls his hand away. “I was saying Adam mentioned there’s some kind of arcade room somewhere. Wanna go find it?”

“Oh.” Keith tries to shake himself back into reality. “Sure. Sounds fun.”

Even if he only half-heartedly agreed, he’s glad he did because Lance’s eyes light up and he grins. “Sweet! Are you coming, Allura?”

She glances at Keith with a tiny smile, and he already knows what she’s doing before she even speaks. “Actually, I think I’ll go find Hunk and Pidge. You two go on without me.”

Lance doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest. “Okay! We’ll catch up with you guys later. C’mon Keith, we can try upstairs.”

Keith shoots Allura a look over his shoulder as Lance tugs him along, but she just smiles innocently and waves as they weave through the crowd of people in the parlor and start up the stairs.

Lance holds on to Keith’s sleeve as they navigate across the balcony so they don’t get separated. Keith has to tug the hem of his sleeve down a little to resist the urge to reach for Lance’s hand (he thinks that would be a more effective way to stay together, but that’s beside the point). Lance lets go once they’ve slipped into one of the hallways where there are a lot fewer people, but he still keeps close, which—does not help with the whole hand-holding urge Keith seems to have at all times now.

Keith more or less just follows behind as Lance starts peeking through whatever door happens to be unlocked. He keeps making little noises of excitement every time he sees something of interest, which is in almost every single room they look into. It’s taking every ounce of self-control Keith has not to grab his hand, partly because it’s making him anxious and partly because he’s not sure Lance would be okay with it.

“Are you okay?” Lance asks eventually, as they’re passing through an enormous lounge with a lit fireplace into another hallway.

“Yeah?” Keith glances at him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You kind of did that thing again down there,” Lance clarifies. Keith blinks at him. “The zoning out thing.”

“Oh.” Keith directs his attention to his feet. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, man. I’m just—making sure.”

“Sorry,” Keith mumbles again, and Lance huffs a laugh. “Parties aren’t my thing. I don’t mean to be—”

“Do you think we’ll see Adam and Shiro up here?” Lance asks a bit suddenly, slowing a little.

Keith slows to match him, his brow creasing. “Uh. No? I mean, this place is huge so, probably not—”

“Okay,” Lance says. “Can you hold this for a second?”

Confused, Keith holds out his palm, and Lance makes to put something in his hand—and slides their fingers together instead.

“Oh my—” Keith feels his face go red and he ducks his head underneath his other hand as Lance starts giggling. “Oh my _god,_ Lance—”

“I couldn’t help it,” Lance snickers.

Keith hates that everything Lance does seems to catch him off guard. “Why are you _like_ this,” he mutters, even as he’s reciprocating and curling his fingers around Lance’s hand.

“Too much?”

“It’s fine,” Keith groans.

Lance squeezes his hand a little and Keith peeks at him from under his cover to see him offer a small smile. “Sorry. I know these aren’t your thing, but I’m glad you came.”

“Thanks,” Keith manages, and Lance smiles again.

They continue to check the doors in another hallway or two. Keith has butterflies in his stomach the entire time, sneaking looks at Lance every chance he gets and soaking in the warmth of Lance’s hand. Eventually the reach a point where a _DO NOT ENTER_ sign has been set up, so they give up and turn back.

Lance pulls his handheld out of his pocket as they’re passing back through the lounge and glances down at it.

“Hunk says they found the food. Do you want to go back down there?”

“I could probably eat something,” Keith admits, even though he’d really rather stay upstairs for a little longer if it means he gets to keep holding Lance’s hand.

They manage to only get lost twice while trying to follow the direction that Hunk texts to Lance. At some point they have to let go of each other because it gets too crowded in one of the corridors to walk side-by-side, and it’s Keith holding onto Lance’s sweater sleeve this time (maybe that’s the more effective way to stay together after all).

Eventually they decide to copy Pidge and Hunk by following someone holding a platter of food, which finally leads them straight to their destination. “Whoa,” Lance breathes as they’re walking into the room. “This place is huge!”

Whatever room they’re in is _enormous,_ with a massive open space behind all of the tables set up in the front where people are eating, and beautiful Christmas decorations strewn neatly across the high walls and towering ceiling, and half a dozen beautiful glass chandeliers reflecting light in every direction—wait.

 _Oh no,_ Keith thinks.  

“Oh hey!” Lance seems to have come to the same realization as Keith. “This is the ballroom!”

“Ballroom,” Keith echoes.

 _Dancing,_ his brain supplies.

Lance is busy scanning all the tables up front while Keith is busy—freaking out. His eyes light up after a moment and he points as he grabs Keith’s arm. “There they are!”

Keith just lets himself be pulled along as Lance guides them to the table where everyone else is already sitting, Adam and Shiro included. He ignores the way that Adam and Shiro glance at each other with tiny smiles as they’re approaching.

“It’s about time,” Pidge says as they slip into the empty seats left conveniently beside each other. “We thought you guys got lost or something.”

“Oh, we did,” Lance confirms. “Twice. This place is a maze.”

Someone probably says something in response, but Keith doesn’t really hear it because he’s staring beyond the tables at where he can see people on one of the farther sides of the room—dancing. A couple dozen pairs and couples dancing together to the music playing comfortably overhead, in the open space underneath the chandeliers.

 _He’s going to ask you to dance,_ his brain reminds him.

His stomach flips.

And apparently he did it again—the zoning out thing—because Lance pokes his shoulder and he starts a little. Lance huffs a small laugh. “Welcome back.”

“Sorry,” Keith says immediately, and then remembers that Lance said he doesn’t have to apologize. “Sorry,” he says again, and then he grimaces and Lance just shakes his head with a tiny smile.

He points at where there are people lined up for the food tables against the wall. “Food?”

“You go ahead,” Keith manages. “I’ll get some in a minute.”

Hunk volunteers to go with Lance to get seconds, so they both climb out of their seats and go to get in line. Adam leans over once they’re gone and everyone else has resumed conversation. “Doing okay?”

“Fine,” Keith sighs, slumping a little.

“What have you guys been up to?”

Keith shrugs, picking at the tablecloth. “We were just—walking around. We were looking for the arcade room or whatever that you mentioned.”

He glances up when there’s no response to see Adam staring at him with a blank look. “Arcade room?”

Keith frowns a little. “Yeah, Lance said—” And then he cuts himself off and feels his face flush when Adam’s lips quirk up into an amused smile. “You never mentioned an arcade room.”

Adam just hums and shakes his head before leaning away as Keith turns to stare in Lance’s direction and try to figure out why in the world he would lie about—a thought strikes him, and his head snaps toward Allura across the table, who ducks her head a little as if she’d been listening to their conversation. He squints at her. “Hey, Allura.” She looks up a little sheepishly, and Keith meaningfully raises his eyebrows. “Food?”

“I suppose I could eat a little more,” she agrees politely, but she looks very much like she’s trying not to smile as they slide out of their seats and head in the direction of the food tables.

Keith just gives her a look as they’re getting into line. “Very funny, Allura.”

She purses her lips. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You knew there was no arcade room!” Keith hisses. Someone gets into line behind them and he lowers his voice. “You guys are—plotting against me!”

Allura actually laughs at that. “We’re not plotting! Lance just assumed that you’d have more fun away from the crowd is all.”

Keith blinks at her. “Wait, so you mean he—wait, what?”

Allura just pats his shoulder. “You’ve been having a good time, haven’t you?”

Keith folds his arms and glares at the floor. Allura raises an eyebrow. “Yes,” Keith mumbles, and she smiles.

Hunk and Lance are back in their seats when Keith and Allura come back to the table. Lance glances over at Keith’s plate as he sits down and points. “You actually got some?”

Keith looks down at the two powdered sugar cookie things in question. “I told you, more for me.” Lance makes a face as he takes a bite of one.

Shiro leans over Adam. “Dessert last, Keith.”

Lance snickers and Keith stuffs the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

He doesn’t really talk much after that, other than responding when someone speaks directly to him or rolling his eyes and trying not to laugh at Lance’s inevitable onslaught of jokes. He’s still preoccupied with the fact that Lance was just pretending to search for a nonexistent room so Keith wouldn’t have to be around so many people. Maybe the holding hands part was a nice added bonus.

 _He must really like you if he went to the trouble to do that,_ his brain says.

Keith pokes at some leftover sprinkles rolling around his plate and shoots Lance a sidelong glance, smiling a little as he laughs at something that Hunk said.

Shiro and Adam get up at some point to dance, and Keith pointedly avoids eye contact with everyone else at the table.

 _He’s not gonna ask me now, is he?_ Keith wonders a little frantically. _Not in front of everyone—we’ve kind of held hands a lot but never in front of anyone else obviously, I still don’t know if he’s even okay with anyone knowing—would I be okay with everyone knowing? And it’s not like—dancing isn’t exactly subtle, so if he asks while everyone else is sitting here—_

He panics for a split second and wonders if he’s too obviously freaking out when Pidge slides all the way over into the seat next to him.

She steals one of the leftover crackers from his plate by way of greeting. “Are you okay?”

He lets out a breath and relaxes. “Yeah, I’m okay.” He offers a small smile. “Thanks, Pidge.”

She just smiles back and gives him a tiny fist bump before sliding back to her original seat.

Hunk is still talking to Lance, so Keith goes to get some punch if only to distract himself for a minute. The crowd starts to visibly thin out as the minutes go by. Keith just leans his elbows on the table and sips his punch and tries to look normal.

 _It’s just a dance,_ he thinks to himself. _No big deal. All you have to do is say yes when he asks. And for all you know, he might not._ He slowly runs his finger around the rim of his cup and tries to ignore the weird feeling settling in the pit of his stomach before he realizes— _I want him to ask._ He downs the rest of his punch and slumps a little in his seat.

Pidge goes to get some punch for herself after a moment, and Hunk and Allura get up to go back to the dessert table, and Keith has somehow gotten so lost in his thoughts that he distracts himself long enough for him not to notice Lance slipping out of his seat beside him until it’s too late.

They told him it was going to happen. They told him it was going to happen, he’s been thinking about it all night, and it _still_ ends up catching him off guard.

Lance clears his throat behind him and Keith freezes. “Hey, um—Keith?”

Keith turns slowly in his seat to face Lance, and suddenly his heart is leaping into his throat with anticipation. “Yeah?”

He waits as Lance shifts a little, looking down at his feet for a second. “Um, would you—well—” He seems to pause to recover himself, and then he takes a breath and holds out his hand. “Do you want to dance?”

Keith’s heart does a backflip. Maybe three. He stares at Lance’s hand. Opens his mouth. Closes it. “I—um—”

 _Oh my god, we’ve practiced this,_ his brain sighs. _Just say_ yes.

His eyes flick over to see Hunk and Allura watching them from the food table. Hunk gives him a huge grin and a thumbs-up, and Allura nods encouragingly. He looks back at Lance, his heart leaping again at the pink tint in his cheeks, and the look on his face is so hopeful that Keith couldn’t possibly say no even if he wanted to.

“I—yeah,” Keith finally stammers, and a look of relief flickers across Lance’s face as he takes his hand. “I’d—love to.”

His heart is racing as Lance leads him away from the tables and through the crowd of already dancing people. Keith clings tightly to his hand and silently prays that they don’t see Adam and Shiro, because he doesn’t think he could take their teasing right now. He just doesn’t understand why in the world he’s so _nervous._

 _It’s just dancing,_ he keeps telling himself. _Just—dancing. And it’s just Lance—_

And then Lance brings them to a stop when they reach an open space and turns back to him with a shy smile on his face, and Keith’s heart skips a beat.

_Oh yeah. That’s why I’m nervous._

He finds himself holding his breath as they readjust their hands, and Lance steps a little closer and Keith is—trying not to die. The song is changing as he timidly places his other hand on Lance’s shoulder, and then Lance’s finds his waist, gentle but sure, and Keith’s heart flutters because it evidently refuses to function regularly when Lance is around.

“Okay?” Lance asks quietly, and Keith’s mouth twitches up into a smile as he nods. They begin moving in time with the music, simply stepping slowly together while they get used to the pattern. Keith bites his lip and glances down at his feet for a moment so he doesn’t trip them both, and when he looks up again, Lance is watching him with a faint smile.

Keith makes himself keep eye contact. “What?”

Lance’s smile grows. “I’m still taller than you.”

And it’s just the kind of comment that’s so completely irrelevant and plenty dumb enough that all of Keith’s nervousness instantly dissipates and he can’t help but smile, even as he scoffs. “Whatever, Lance. You hardly have an inch on me.”

“Still taller,” Lance says proudly, and Keith shakes his head. “Just let me have this one.”

“Just this one,” Keith allows, rolling his eyes.

“Where’d you learn to dance?” Lance asks.

Keith shrugs. “Shiro was always getting invited to those lame gala things they held at the Garrison back before the Kerberos mission. I just always got dragged along.”

Lance quirks an eyebrow. “By Adam?”

“By Adam,” Keith sighs, and Lance laughs a little. “He claimed it was ‘all about the experience’.”

“Sounds like something he’d say,” Lance nods. The song ends, and there’s a brief moment where they’re just kind of swaying before the next one starts up and they slip back into time. Lance’s hand seems to settle more on Keith’s waist. “Are you having fun?”

“I am now,” Keith says, before he really even thinks about it.

Lance’s face flushes a little, and he clears his throat. “You, um—you look really good, by the way.”

 _Thank you, Hunk,_ Keith thinks. He ducks his head a little to hide his smile. “Thanks. You do too.”

Neither of them say anything for a moment, and then Keith looks up when he feels Lance’s shoulders shaking a little to see him laughing and he has a brief, irrational second of panic that this is somehow all some kind of awful prank.

“What—”

“I guess we’ve both been pretty slow on the uptake, huh?”

Keith relaxes a little, loosening his grip on Lance’s hand slightly. “What do you mean?”

“Well—” Lance shrugs a little too casually for it to be natural, glancing back in the direction of their table. “I just mean, everyone else already knows, right?”

Keith bites his lip again. “Knows what?” he asks, even though he very well knows what.

Lance lets out a short, high-pitched laugh and his eyes flick to the side. “C’mon, man. You know.” He looks back when Keith doesn’t say anything and takes a breath. “Look, now is probably a good time to mention that I might have sort of—lied, the other day."

“Lied about what?” The song changes again, and they easily slip into time.

“Well—when you asked me why Allura and I were talking about you.”

Keith feels his heart flip in his chest for the millionth time tonight. “Yeah, and you got all weird about it.”

Lance winces a little. “Um, yeah. Well, it was—I mean, I told you we had just been talking about Voltron stuff, which was kind of true, but—” He breathes out and turns his head a little to look away, letting out a shaky laugh. “God, you make me so nervous.”

Keith splutters a little. “Wh—I make _you_ nervous—how?”

“You just—” Lance shakes his head, but it looks like he’s doing it more to himself than at Keith. “I can never get a read on you, like—one second you’re all tough and edgy, and the next you’re all smiley or something and then when I least expect it you just go all— _soft,_ and say stuff like how you’ve always wanted to—brush your thumb over my cheek—” Keith’s cheeks heat up at that, but Lance is shaking his head again. “Can I start over?”

“I don’t really know what’s happening,” Keith admits.

“Okay.” Lance takes another deep breath. “Listen. I know things in the past year-ish have been super insane, and we kind of basically just got back from fighting a war in space and there wasn’t much time for much else while we were out there other than battle plans and such, but—” He pauses, and Keith keeps his eyes on him as he waits for him to continue.

“Do you remember when I made you come outside in the middle of the night?” Lance says eventually. “After it had snowed for the first time.” Keith just nods, and Lance looks down at his feet. “Well—Allura and I were talking about you because I was supposed to tell you something that night but—I chickened out.”

Keith’s hand tightens a little on his shoulder and he thinks his heart could probably qualify to be an Olympic gymnast at this point. “Tell me what?”

Lance’s hand tenses a tiny bit on his waist and he looks back up at Keith. “I was supposed to tell you—” He closes his eyes and lets out another breath. “Oh my god, this shouldn’t be this hard, right? I mean, I asked you to dance. We’re dancing. I’ve been sneaking out of my room at night to hold your hand and look at the stars—”

Keith swallows. “Lance—”

“I like you,” Lance blurts finally, and Keith sucks in a breath and his eyes widen. “Keith, I really, really like you, and I know that seems kind of crazy because you were our leader and stuff but—you’re also my best friend.” Keith doesn’t remember stopping, but they’re not moving anymore, just standing there and looking at each other while everyone else dances around them. Lance brings their entwined hands between them and looks down. “I know everyone is trying to move on or whatever, but I’m not ready to move on yet because I’m not—” His voice grows quiet and Keith has to strain a little to hear it over the noise of the room. “—I’m not ready to move on from you.”

He blinks down at their hands and traces his thumb over Keith’s knuckles while Keith is trying to remember how to breathe.

“And I don’t expect you to say it back or anything,” Lance continues softly. “I’ve just—liked you for a while now and I wish I’d had the guts to tell you sooner.”

“Lance,” Keith whispers, and he doesn’t know if he expected Lance to hear him, but he must have because he looks back up with a tiny smile.

“Too much?” he murmurs.

Keith just squeezes his eyes shut and barely manages to shake his head, a little overwhelmed, and then his breath catches in his throat when he feels Lance pull him closer and gently press their foreheads together. His hand slips from Lance’s shoulder and rests there on his chest as they sync their breathing.

“I’m willing to make this work,” Lance whispers. “I want to make this work.”

“Okay,” Keith breathes, his fingers twisting slightly in Lance’s sweater.

“We don’t even have to tell anyone else,” Lance goes on. “We can just—keep it to ourselves, for a little bit.”

“That’s a bad idea,” Keith says, and Lance huffs a laugh, tickling Keith’s nose. “I wouldn’t last ten minutes.”

Lance slides his hand around to the small of Keith’s back, and he shivers a little. “Me neither. Maybe just for tonight?”

“Okay,” Keith murmurs again, and Lance presses closer.

They stand like that for a little longer, holding close and breathing together, Keith’s heart racing in his chest as he tries to comprehend what’s happening. Almost an entire song passes before either of them move again, and it’s only because they both feel their handhelds buzzing in their pockets.

Lance still doesn’t let go of Keith’s hand. “We’ve been out here for a while. Everyone’s probably ready to go.”  

“I guess we should head back then,” Keith says, trying not to sound too obviously disappointed.

“I guess.” Lance shoots him one more smile that still makes his heart flip every which way and lets his hand slip away. “C’mon.”

Keith has no idea whether or not he manages to pull off a neutral expression when they make it back to their table, but no one says anything as they’re getting ready to go. It’s the fact that Hunk and Allura look thoroughly pleased with themselves that Keith knows he’s probably failing spectacularly. He can feel Lance sneaking looks at him and smiling while they’re grabbing their coats from the room in the parlor, and it’s impossible for him not to smile as well.

Lance climbs into the backseat of the car with him this time when the valet brings it around. And the moment that everyone is situated and Adam pulls them out onto the road, Lance’s hand slides across the seat to twist his fingers with Keith’s. Keith still can’t stop himself from smiling into the collar of his coat.

“Did you have fun?” Shiro asks quietly, when everyone else is starting up the stairs in the cabin to get ready for bed.

Keith just bites his lip to hide his smile and nods, and then Shiro squeezes his shoulder and follows Adam up the stairs.

The second that Keith is sure he’s alone in his room for the night, he pulls out the piece of paper and the pencil that he stole from Shiro’s and Adam’s room, switches on his bedside lamp, and writes out a single, neat line at the top.

_Everything I wish I’d told you sooner._

**Author's Note:**

> (once again sorry for typos i didn't get a chance to look through it asjhdfk)
> 
> come say hi on [tumblr](https://www.taxashi.tumblr.com)!  
> 


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